Sausage linking machine



10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1947 .2512 Him/arm E. W. ANDERSON SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE June 16, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1947 Iv/zz Z0 1".

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J1me 195.3 E. w. ANDERSON 9 SAUSAGEILINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTOR. .5410 W findemso 11..

2am 4M ATTORNEY.

June 16, 1953 E. w. ANDERSON 2,641,793

SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23-, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VENT OR: fibc M4 flnde rwolb.

W0 MM ATTORNEY.

E. W. ANDERSON SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE June 16, 1953 Filed Aug. 23, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 16, 1953 E. w. ANDERSON 2,641,798

SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 fliiorngy.

June 16, 1953 E. w. ANDERSON f 2,641,798

SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 'Irn/wzfan:

.E'rfo W- flncrtsarv June 16, 1953 E. w. ANDERSON SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 23, 1947 Jfda fi/rzfor? .Eiwb w-finderzson June 16, 1953 E. w. ANDERSON 2,641,798

SAUSAGE LINKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1947 1o Sheets-Sheet 9 l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Aug. 23, 1947 n. QN

I771//Z for? .Frw'a W-flnde rtsafu.

Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE SAUSAGE LI NKING MACHINE Eric W. Anderson, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 23, 1947, Serial No. 770,319

24 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a machine for forming links in a casing either a natural intestinal casing, or one made of paper or other similar materials and intended to cover the linking of frankfurters, larger links of sausage, or Bologna, and also the linking of other food products and materials such as cheese, and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a sausage linking machine which is capable of forming links not only in natural intestinal casing which are sometimes quite fragile, but also in the artificial casings of paper and similar materials which are more rugged and will stand rougher and more rigorous treatment without breaking.

Other important objects of the invention are: To provide means for coiling filled casings in a suitable container; to rotate the casing filled container as the sausage machine is operated; to suitably grip the filled sausage casing and to hold it while a link is formed; to perform the linkage continuously without stopping the progress of the filled casing in the machine; to carry the filled and twisted casing without breaking it during the operation; to vary the length of the links within the limits of the machine; to vary the drive of the casing container with the speed of the link forming mechanism; to provide automatic starting and stopping mechanism depending upon the presence of a casing in the machine; and in general to provide a complete operating sausage linking machine of this kind.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which, 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sausage linking machine in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper driving mechanism from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1, some of the parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a link holding receptacle partially in section with the mechanism for coiling unlinked but filled sausage casings therein; 7

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; V

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the driving mechanism at the top of the supporting base;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of the driving mechanism taken on the line 'l'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the receptacle drive as taken on the lineB-B of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of the outer end of the driving head shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line l0-|0 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the driving head and link feeding mechanism as taken from the right side of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a plan view with the supporting parts in section of the link gripping assembly;

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation taken on the line |3-l3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the driving mechanism on the twisting head supporting arm;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the operating and adjusting mechanism in the driving head;

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the rollers at the top of the sausage casing gripping rollers as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view of the driving mechanism as taken on the line l1--l7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-l8 of Fig. 9.

One of the major difiiculties in providing a link forming machine of this kind is that it must be adaptable not only for use with animal casings, but also, it must be capable of use with the artificial or paper-like casings. The animal casings are naturally more delicate, easily broken and liable to require frequent stoppages of the machine, whereas the artificial casings are somewhat stronger and require a stifier and more rigid application of the machine parts to aiiect the desired twisting and casing linkages. A machine which is strong enough to accommodate the artificial casings is often too stiif and cumbersome to accommodate the lighter and more fragile animal casings more successfully without breakingthem. The present invention overcomes these objections -by providing gripping and feeding mechanism which is so sensitive that 'it will firmly grip the casing, either animal or artificial, and feed them positively to a holding rack utilizing grippers which move with the cas- .products from the smaller frankfurter sizes to the larger Bologna or head cheese types, and also to casing for other food products such as cheese, dog food, as products, and the like.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the invention is described as applied to a sausage linking machine which utilizes medium size casings, although it may be similarly applied for larger or smaller casings. A driving motor I is suitably mounted below a raised base II which has depending legs I2. A driving pulley I3 is mounted upon a shaft I4 supported in a bracket I5 secured to the under side of the base II and is connected to the motor by a driving belt I6. Also mounted upon the shaft I4 is a bevel gear pinion I'I which meshes with a driving gear I8 secured to a vertical shaft I3 mounted also in the bracket I5 and extending through the base II.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 8, the shaft I9 has a shoulder for supporting a ball bearing 2| between it and a bearing 22 provided in the bracket I5.

At the upper end of shaft I9, a circular table 23 is supported for rotation with the shaft and this table is adapted to carry a container 24 for coiled but unlinked sausage in casings 25.

One or more lengths of unlinked sausage casings are coiled in each container 24 before it is applied to the linking machine either by hand or by a coiling mechanism shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In this coiling mechanism, each container 24 is mounted upon a platform 23 secured to a shaft 27 mounted in a frame 28 witha pulley 29 secured to the end of shaft 21 which projects below the frame 28. A driving belt 33 extends around pulley 29 and also around a pulley 3| secured at the lower end of a shaft 32 mounted in the frame 23 and extending upwardly therefrom between upwardly extending supports 33 secured to the frame 28 and located outside of the periphery of the table 25. At the upper ends of supports 33 are bearings in which a cross shaft 34 is mounted, a bevel gear 35 being secured to the cross shaft and meshing with a corresponding bevel gear 35 secured to the upper end of the shaft 32.

Also mounted upon shaft 34 is a reel 31 comprising spaced side pieces "and inwardly extending fingers 38 for receiving therebetween the filled sausage casings 25 which are passed over the reel and above an open top container 24 positioned upon the table 23, the relation being such that as the reel is rotated in the direction of the arrow as shown in Fig. 3, the container 24 is rotated in the direction of the arrow on the container, thereby coiling the casings within the container.

To rotate the reel 31, a pulley 39 is secured to cross shaft 34 and a driving belt 40 extending around the pulley also extends around the driving pulley of a motor 4| mounted upon the frame 28.

Successive lengths of uncoiled casings may be secured together and fed continuously over the reel 31 or the separate pieces may be fed individually. To automatically start and stop the motor, a contact roller '42 is mounted upon one arm of a lever 43 pivoted on cross shaft 34, the roller overlying the reel 37 and adapted to engage or retain an unlinked container on the reel. At the opposite end of the lever 43 is an adjustable weight 44 to vary the pressure of the roller upon the casing, depending somewhat upon the weight Or thickness of the filledcasing.

At the feeding side of the reel 31 and projecting upwardly from supports 33 are guides 45 which are spaced apart approximately the width of the reel and conform somewhat to the curva- 4 ture thereof. As the unlinked casings are applied to the reel 31, they must first be inserted through and between the guides 45 which serve to direct them to the reel even though they are drawn from the floor or another support which is not in direct line with the reel and the guides.

Projecting from the adjacent support 33 is a contact switch 46 engaged by the weighted end of arm 43 for controlling the motor 4|. To start the motor, a length of the filled casing must be passed over the top of the reel and under the roller 42 raising it to the full line position as shown in Fig. 3. This will move the weighted arm of lever 43 against the switch 46 closing a circuit connection (not shown) to the motor, causing it to rotat the reel and also the table 25 for coiling the casing in a container 24. When the last end of the casing has passed over the reel, or if the casing happens to break, there is no engagement of the casing with the contact roller 42, and instead of being held up in the full line position, it drops to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 3, thereby moving away from the switch 46 which opens, causing the motor to stop.

A number of filled containers 24 are preferably prepared in advance or a sufiicient number of them are available to maintain the linking machine continuously in operation, each container when emptied being removed from the linking machine rotating table 23, and another filled container being applied thereto.

Driving shaft I9 upon which the container rotating table 23 is mounted, also transmits power from the motor II] for driving other parts of the linking machine. A driving pulley 41 is secured to. shaft I9 intermediate its ends and preferably close to the underside of base II (see Figs. 6 and 7) and spaced from this shaft but parallel thereto also extending through the base is a countershaft 48. This latter shaft is mounted in a bearing 49 having a hub extending through the base II and secured to the shaft below this bearing is a variable drive mechanism of the split pulley type having a sleeve 50 with one side 5| of the pulley formed integral therewith and secured to the shaft by a transverse pin 52. Mounted on the sleeve adjacent the side 5| is another pulley side 53 engaged by one end of a, spring 54, the other end of the spring being engaged by a collar 55 also mounted on the sleeve 50 and held adjustably thereon by a set screw 56.

A driving belt 5? is positioned between the pulley sides 5| and 53 at one end and the driving pulley 41 at the other end, and a friction pulley 53 engages the belt between these pulleys, the arrangement being such. that as the belt is tightened by engagement of the pulley 58, the pulley side 53 is spread from the pulley side 5| against the tension spring 54, thereby varying the effective diameter of the pulley on the shaft 43 and changing the relative speed of the shaft 43. This friction pulley 58 is mounted on one arm of the lever 59 having a hub 50 rotatable upon the hub of bearing 49 and the other end of the lever 59 having a projection 6| adapted to be engaged by the extremity of a stem 62 which is threaded to extend through the adjacent side of base I and has a hand wheel 63 attached to the outer end of the stem so that by rotating the hand Wheel, the lever 59 may be correspondingly adjusted, varying the tension of the friction pulley 58 upon the driving belt 51 and '48 extends upwardly from the base adjacent the support 69 into the arm 95 which is hollow and contains a gear 68 mounted upon the shaft 48. This gear meshes with an intermediate gear 69 mounted on a stub shaft I9 in the arm which meshes in turn with a gear II connected to the twisting head 64.

The twisting head is suitably mounted in bearings atthe end of arm 65; it is hollow and somewhat flaring at the bottom and extends both above and below the arm. Secured to the portion which projects below the arm, by means of a 7 ring I2, threaded or otherwise secured upon the s end of the twisting head are a number of rollers I3 extending radially all around the head for the purpose of guiding the sausage casing into the twisting head.

At the top of the twisting head mounted upon a ring I4 (see also Fig. 16) which is threaded or otherwise secured to the projecting end thereof are friction rollers I5. Each roller is mounted in a yoke I9 having angular ends and cross connected between the ends at the outer side of the roller, the lower angular ends being pivoted in the ring I4 on pivots I1 and each roller being mounted upon a bearing pin H3 at the angle of the yoke so that it projects inwardly over the opening of the twisting head 64. The two opposite rollers are drawn together by springs 19, one at each end of the yokes I6, one end of each springbeing connected to a projection 89 at the end of the yoke. The rollers are drawn closely together by the springs so that the sausage casing inserted therethrough will be engaged by the rollers allowing the casing to move freely through the twisting head, and the surfaces of the rollers are preferably formed with ribs 8| which grip the surfaces of the sausage casings as they pass from the twisting heads. p

Also connected to the shaft 48 below the arm 65 is a sprocket '82 connectedby a chain 93 with a sprocket 84 mounted to rotate on a stub shaft 85 secured in a bearing 86 carried by upright support 96 by means of a fastening screw 81. A spur gear 88 is mounted on the hub of sprocket 94 and meshes with a gear 89 mounted upon a vertical shaft 99 located within the hollow portion of support 66. The shaft is supported at its lower end in a bearing block 9I and at its upper end in a bearing block 92. Between the upper and lower bearings, is a driving roller 93 secured to the shaft and tapered toward the bottom. j

A reversed tapered roller 94 parallel with the roller 93 is mounted upon a shaft 95 carried by the end bearing block 9| at the bottom, and the reduced upper end of the roller is mounted to rotate in block 92. A bearing plug 96 in the top of the roller 95 carries the'end of an upwardly extending shaft 91 which is pinned to the end of the roller 94, for transmitting motion to the upper driving head.

To connect the rollers 93 and 94, a driving belt 99 is extended around them and a belt tightener pulley 99 is mounted. upon a shaft I99 having an adjustable mounting at the top and at the bottom comprising a threaded stem I9I projecting from the adjacent bearing block 9| or 92 and through the end of the shaft I99, with a lock nut I92 adjustable on the stem.

Rv varving the height of the driving belt 98, the driving relation between the rollers 93 and 94 may be changed as desired. In the arrangement shown, the lowest driving ratio is with the belt at the lowermost position, and the highest driving ratio with the belt at its uppermost position. To shift the belt a vertical rod I93 is mounted in the support 96 extending through the upper bearing block 92 and having upper and lower projections I93a and 131) with rollers thereon near 'its'lower end, adapted to extend above and below one reach of the belt 98. As the rod is raised or lowered, the belt is correspondingly raised in position changing the driving ratio between the rollers 93 and 94.

A feeding head I94 is adjustably mounted at the upper end of the upright support 66 and comprises a plate I95 vertically slidable in guides I96 at the inner sideof the support. Attached to this plate is a rack I91 having a pinion I98 meshing therewith and mounted upon a shaft I99 which extends to the other side of the support where it terminates in a squared head III) ada ted to'beengaged by a crank III.

Attached to the inner side of the plate I95 is a bearing II2 carrying a pinion II3 mounted upon the shaft 91 by a longitudinal keyway 91a for rotary driving connection and free adjustment lengthwise Of the shaft.

Meshing with the pinion I I3 within the support 69 is a bevel gear I'I4 mounted on a shaft II5 carried by a bearing II6 which projects through an opening II'I in the plate I95 and also is secured to the plate from the outside by bolts II8. At the outer end of this shaft is a main driving pulley I29.

This adjustable head is to vary the length of the links produced by the machine, longer links requiring a faster movement of the filled casing and a faster movement of the driving pulley I29. A greater distance is also required between the twisting head and the casing driving means. Rod I93-is therefore attached at its upper end by a projection I2I extending from the bearing 2 so that as the head I94 and including plate I95 is raised bythe rack and pinion mechanism, the driving belt .98 is correspondingly raised to increase the driving ratio between rollers 93 and 99.

For convenience, a link length indicator scale I22 (Fig. 11) is located at the edge of the upright 66 with a pointer I23 (Fig. 1'7) extending from a projection at one side of the bearing II9 over the edge of the support 66.

Mounted upon the driving head I94 are guide pulleys I24, a terminal pulley I25 and a tensioning pulley I26 for carrying a belt I21 When the driving head is adjusted to the proper height a clamping screw I29 extending through the projection which carries pointer 23, is moved into engagement with the plate I95 by a hand wheel I29 to bind it tightly in engagement with the support 66 so that the parts will not become accidentally dislodged during any particular run. The outer end of the belt I2'I is substantially in alignment with the inner edge of the twisting headv 34 so that the sausage casing will pass directly from the twisting head upon the belt. To adjust thetensioning pulley I26 it is mounted upon a bearing adjustable in a slot I39 ofthe feeding head by a hand screw I3I. The driving pulleys in the head are preferably slightly crowned which causes a corresponding curvature of the driving belt I21.

A frictional contact belt I35 (see Figs. 9, 10 and 17) is yieldingly mounted to engage the sausage casings and press them toward the driving belt I21 and to provide a positive drive at the opposite outer side of the sausage casing. This belt I35 has a driving pulley I36 mounted upon a shaft I31 with a driving gear I38 at its other end in driving connection with a gear I39 mounted on a shaft I34 suported at one side of the pulley. I25 bya bearing sleeve I40. The pulley I36 and its shaft I31 are mounted for swinging movement with respect tothe pulley I25 without disengaging their gears I38 and I39 by means of a holder frame I4I having spaced upper and lower arms I42 and I43 (Fig. 2) mounting it to swing within a casing I44 upon pivots I45 and I46 at the top and bottom of the casing respectively. The casing I44 is secured to a collar I33 adjustably secured to the bearing sleeve I40 by means of screws I32 inserted into upper and lower projections I33a and I331) from the collar I33. These pivots I45 and I46 are located upon an axis which extends between the meshing edges of the gears I38 and I39 and the holder frame I4I is limited in movement by engagement with the inside of the casing I44 as shown more clearly by Fig. 17.

The swinging movement of the holder MI is restrained and it is drawn inwardly by a spring I41 connected at one end, as shown in Fig. 10, with a projection I48at the bottom of the holder frame MI and connected at the other end to a threaded stem I46 which extends through an ear I56 projecting downwardly from a frame I54 mounted upon bearing sleeve I46, and with a thumb screw II on the threaded end of the stem 149 bearing against the opposite side of the ear I50.

The holder frame I4I extends vertically at the end of the feeding head I04 and carries rollers I52 and I53 engaged by the belt I35 which also passes around pulley I36 and parallel with that portion of the belt I21 carried by the outer end of the head between pulleys I25 and the two pulleys I24 next above it.

With this construction, a sausage casing is extended upwardly from the twisting head between the belts I21 and I35 where it is engaged by the resilient contact of the outer belt I35 with the inner belt I21, the variation of the thickness of the sausage casing being taken up by spring I41 without disengaging the driving gears I38 and Also carried by the feeding head I64 and actuated by a relative movement of the holder MI is a switch mechanism (see Figs. 9 and comprising a micro-switch I55 having conductors I56 and I51 leading therefrom. A switch contact I 56 extends from the switch I55 which closes the switch when it is pressed inwardly. Mounted within a switch box I65 carried by the frame I54 is an arm I6I mounted on a stub shaft I162 extending outwardly from the switch box and carrying a spring blade I63 adapted to engage the contact I58 at the inside of the switch box. This switch closing movement is opposed by a spring I 64 within the switch box engaging the outer end of the arm [6i and tending to press it outwardly.

At the outside of the switch box and mounted upon the outer end of the shaft I62 is a holder I65 adjustably connected to the shaft I62 by a set screw I66. Within a recess I61 of this holder, a projecting arm I68 is mounted upon a cross pin I69 to swing up and down in the recess and limited in downward movement by a screw I10 extending through the arm against the bottom of the recess and having a lock nut I1I movable upon the screw to hold it in place in the arm I68. At the outer end of the arm I68 is an inclined wedging projection I12 extending laterally from the arm so that the arm is movable when the wedging projection is engaged against the spring I64 within the box I60 to engage the spring blade I63 with the switch projection I58. This movement of the arm I 68 is effected by means of an opposite wedging projection I13 at one end of an arm I14 which projects above and beyond the end of arm I68. The other end of arm I14 is held adjustably in engagement with holder frame MI by means of a set screw I15 which extends through a slot I16 in the end of the arm I14. The arrangement of these wedging surfaces I12 and I13 is such that when the holder frame MI is pulled inwardly upon its pivots I45 and I46 by spring I41 to the position as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 when there is no sausage casing between the rollers I25 and I36, the wedging projections I12 is moved within and out of contact with the wedging projections I13 and in this position, the contact arm [6! is pressed upwardly by its spring I64 to open the switch, thereby shutting off the driving motor. This movement of the switch contact arm I6I is limited by a stop screw I11 extending through theswltch casing I60 and held in any adjusted position by a set screw I 18.

When the belt I36 is swung away to insert a sausage casing from the side between the belts I21 and I35, the holder frame I4I mounting the outer driving belt I35 is swung outwardly upon its pivots I45 and I46 engaging wedging projection I12 below wedging projection I12, thereby pressing the arm I68 upwardly upon its pivot I69 without rotating the stub shaft I62 and without closing the switch. The wedging projections then pass outwardly beyond each other and as they are drawn together by the spring I41; the projection I12 passes above the projection I12 pressing it and its arm I68 downwardly. This will operate the switch to close the connection between conductors I56 and I51 for energizing the driving motor I0. Thus the starting and stopping of the motor is automatic; it is started when a sausage casing is inserted between the driving belts and it is stopped when there is no sausage casing between the driving belts.

Since the twisting head and the container 24 are constantly driven at suitably related speeds, and the driving belts I21 and I54 are also driven constantly, an intermediate motion must be given to the link forming mechanism which is obtained from shaft 48 and gear 68 which is connected by the intermediate gear 69 with the gear H which rotates the twisting head 64. Secured to or rotatable with the gear 69 is a cam I86 (Figs. 2 and 14) having an outer engaging portion I8I for approximately one-third of its circular extent, and this portion is engaged by a roller I82 carried by an arm I83 secured at one end to a' fixed support on the hollow arm and at the other end to a lateral projection I81 from the arm I83. The spring tends to hold the roller I82 in a limiting position against a stop plate I88' having angupwardly turned projection I89 adapted to engage the side of the arm I83 opposite the spring I 96, the plate passing. under the arm I83 and having a slotted portion I90 through which a fastening stud I9I isinserted into the bottom ofthehollow arm for adjustably holding the clamping plate in any adjusted position.

The link forming mechanism is operated by this intermittently movable shaft I84 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 11 to 14. Above the upper end of the intermediate shaft I84 is a yoke I92 mounted for free rotation in supports 66 and 61 about a transverse axis upon adjustable pivots I93 and I94 extending inwardly from the supports. This yoke has downward projections I95 through which extend extremities I99 of a somewhat rectangular U-shaped holder I91 held tightly on the yoke by lock nuts I98 threaded on the extremitieson opposite sides of the projections I95. The outer end of this holder extends beyond the top of the twisting head 64 and the sides are spaced suniciently apart so that any sausage casing within the capacity of the machine will pass freely betweenthem.

Mounted to slide on one side of the holderis a sleeve 29!! having a gripper 29I secured to one end and projecting toward the other side of .the holder with a hollow guide 202 surrounding to and extending outwardly from yoke I92.

a sleeve member 203 on the other side of the gripper. This sleeve member 203, is also slidable on side of the gripper arm, and at its. outer end is a gripper 204 extending oppositely tothe gripper 20I having a guide 205 slidable on the opposite side of the holder. These two grippers 20] and 204 are substantially V-shaped, formed of somewhat flat material with the inner edge of each gripper turned upwardly in a flange 209. One gripper 20I overlaps the other to provide a wide opening as shown in Fig. 12 when they "are moved apart, and the angular flanged ends being drawn closely together in the casing gripping and link forming position. 1

Each "of the grippers 20I and 204 is moved by Y its corresponding sleeve and by the timed rotation of the intermittently movable shaft I04. Secured at the top of this shaft is a cross lever 2 having a swivel mounting 2I2 at each end. One swivel mounting has :a' pivotal connection with a link 2I3 attached at its end to a swivel mounting 2M carried by a clamp 2I5 attachable adjustably on sleeve 200. Similarly the other swivel mounting 2I2 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 2P9 attached at its other end to a swivel mounting 2 I1 carried by a clamp 2I8 adjustably secured to the other sleeve 203.

When the cross lever 2H is in cross position parallel with the yoke, the two grippers20l and v 204 are'moved closely together to form a joint between casing links and to hold the casing while the twisting head is rotated. When shaft I34 is rocked at an angle to the yoke as shown'in Fig. 12, the grippers are separated allowing the holder to move relatively to the casing to a new position for forming a joint or link in the eas- Thus the'yoke I92 in which the extremities of the holder I91 are mounted, will rock about its pivots I93 and I94 allowing the holder which is held tightly by the yoketo swing up and down at its outer or free end, and at the sametime the grippers 20I and 204 are reciprocated toward and from each other. This allows the'g'rippers to swing upwardly with the holder 93 in contact with the twisted casing to its upper-v most position and to the'limit of movement of the holder-whereupon the grippers are released;

screws 248. I 7 v The movement of gripper 243' is limited. by the holder and the grippers drop by their own weight to the lowermost position.

1 At the lower limit of movement of the holder I91, its position is determined by a stop 2I9 threaded into a projection of top plate I having a lock nut 220 for securing it in place, and a bumper 22I of rubber or similar material at its upper end to engage a projection 222 secured In its lowermost position as determined by the stop 2I9, the holder I91 is engaged by a latch as shown by Figs. 2,12 and 13, comprising an arm 233 mounted at its'lower end" in abracket 234 secured to top plate I85 and having ears 235 for mounting a pivot 236 which carries the arm 233. Also extending from the bracket is a fixed projection 231 for carrying an adjustable stop screw 238 to limit the movement of arm 233, and a screw 239 held adjustably by a locking nut 240 and extending through the arm 233.

Adjustably securedto the upper end of the arm 233 by fastening screws 24! and. slots 242 is a gripper 243 having an outer bevel edge 244 and a shoulder forming a notch or hook 245 for engaging a rib 246 projecting from a clamping sleeve 241 which is adjustably secured to sleeve 290 on the holder 'I91:by means of fastening adjustable stop screw 238 in one direction and by a spring 259 mounted upon the screw-239 in the other "direction. This screw 239 extends freely through a larger opening 249 in arm 233, and the spring is mounted on the screw between a head 25! anda. washer 252 abutting the arm 233. Thus the spring tends to hold the arm 233 yieldingly against-the stop screw 298 but permits the arm to be sprung outwardly away from the stop when the rib 248 projecting from clamp sleeve Z41 moves downwardly with the holder I91 against the outer beveled edge 244 of the arm.

In this construction, the rib 246 is engagedby the gripper 243 as the sleeve 290 is moved along the holder I91 until both grippers 29I and 204 are in engagement with the casing between them whereupon the rib slips from one end and free from the holding hook 245, allowing the holder :91 to move upwardly with the linked casing. This construction has the advantage that the rib 249'movable with the sleeve 290 will engage and continue contact with thegripper 243 for a limited distance during the swinging movement of the holder I 91 and during the reciprocating movement of bothsleeves zfifi and 1303 upon the holderI9'I. I. A brief summary of this operation is that the grippers 20I and204 are spaced apart by the movement of their sleeves 290 and 293 respectively just below the casing driving head. This allows the holder to'fall by gravity, its downward movement being cushioned and limited by the stop 2I9. In the lowermost position, one side of the gripper'is engaged by the latching mechholder I91 to move upwardly and at this time, the movement of the sleeve with respect to the latch mechanism is such that the latch slips off the plate 246 when the gripping members are tightly engaged with the sausage and consequently move upwardly with it.

The grippers in effect hold each link during the continued upward movement of the entire casing, thus localizing the twist of the casing to the part below the grippers, and as soon as the grippers are released, they drop to pick up a new link which has already been twisted with respect to the previously linked sausages. The previously linked sausages which are held by the belts I21 and I35 are therefore free from the twisting movement, but the twist in the casing which makes the links is maintained by the material of the casing and by the holding of the casing above and below the gripping means.

After the linked casing passes upwardly over the feeding belt I21, it engages a downwardly extending guide trough 260 which has a pivot I at its upper end for mounting it to swing upon the support B S to vary the outward inclination of the trough. A carrier 263 for the trough may be supported by an arm 264 adjustable in length, connected at its outer end to the carrier and to a pivot 2-65 on the support 66. At the lower end of the trough is a clamp 266 for securing the trough and carrier adjustably together. With this construction the inclination of the trough may be varied as desired by adjusting the length of the arm 264.

In the operation of this machine, filled sausage casings are coiled in receptacles 24 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and a receptacle containing the casings is placed upon the rotatable table 23. The end of a filled casing is then threaded through the twisting head 64, the holder I9! and upwardl through the feeding head I04 between the belts I21 and I35. This movement of the belt I54 and its supporting meansicloses the switch I 55 for energizing the driving motor which thereupon rotates the table 23, the twisting head and through the tapered roller drive actuates the driving belts I21 and I35, at a speed determined by the length of sausage which is desired. The gripping holder I9I oscillates between the twisting head 64 and the feeding head I04, the length of stroke depending upon the. preliminary setting of the feeding head I04. The gripper I9! is restrained by the latch at the lowerend of its path which insures that the link is formed by firmly gripping the sausage casing, at the desired length, while the gripper is allowed to move upwardly with the casing. Since the operation of the twisting head is continuous, the gripper in seizing the sausage casing, effectively limits the twisting action of the head to that length of the casing below the gripper, freeing. the previously linked sausages from any further twisting action as soon as they pass the'gripper and while they are engaged by the belts I21, and I of the feeding head.

Several sausage casings may besecured together end to end for passage through this linking machine, or only one length of easing may be passed through at a time, as desired. As soon as any casing has been linked, or after it passes the driving belt I35, there is no casing between the belts I21 and I35, or if the thickness of the casing is insufiicient, then the switch" I will be operated to open the circuit for the driving motor, and the machine will stop. This also operates as a safety stop if the casing, should become broken at any time.

To assist in counter-balancing the weight of the gripping holder IS? a spring 25? (Figs. 2 and 12) is connected at one end to the outer end of a bar 288 connected to the yoke I92 and extending inwardly from the pivots thereof. The other end of the spring is connected to a fastening clip 269 attached to a fixed support such as the rear .end of the hollow arm '65. This spring is tensioned to partially overcome the weight of the holder I97 and the parts thereon, so that it will descend by gravit but will not engage the bumper post too violently. T

To insert a sausage casing into themachine one end of a filled casing is drawn upwardly from a container 24 through the twisting head 64, by inserting a wire hook downwardly through the twisted head to engage the end of the casing, or in any other suitable manner, and to engage it between the belts I2! and I35 it is necessary only to swing the belt I35 outwardly upon its pivots I45 and I46 by engaging a projecting handle 210 which swingsthe belt I35 outwardly so that the sausage casing can be inserted at the outer side. This causes the engagement of the. Wedging projections I12 and H3 to close the electrical switch for starting the driving motor III andthus placing the. machinein operation.

While. a preferred construction and operation of the machine has been. thus describedin detail, it should be regardedbyway of illustration and example rather than a restriction or limitation of the invention as various'changes in the construction and arrangementof the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a' sausage linking machine having a supporting frame, a rotatable twisting head mountedcn the frame, means also mounted on theframe forfeeding a stuifed casing to the twisting head, continuously operating means for pulling the sausage casing through the twisting head, a linking holder mounted on the frame to move between the twisting head and the pulling means, grippers. mounted on the holder movable to and from a position gripping the casing to form a link and to connect the holder for movement with the casing, and means operatively associated-with the grippers to reciprocate the grippers to and; from the casing gripping'position.

2. In a sausage linking machine according to claim 1, the grippers being oppositely movable to engage the casing near the twisting head. for defining the end of a link, and means associated with the grippers to disengage them for reverse movement separate from the casing.

3. In a sausage linking machine in accordance withclaim 1, the grippers being oppositely movable to engage the casing above the twisting head to form a link and movable with the casing, and means associated with the grippers to move them apart and to disengage'them from the casing for reverse movement separate fromnthe' casing.

4. In a sausage linking machine according to claim 1, a. rotatable table on-the frame for receiving coiled and stuffed" casings; the grippers being oppositely movable to engage the casing near the twisting head to form a link and movable with the casing, means associated withthe grippers to disengage them from the casing for reverse'movement, and common driving means in the frame for rotating the table, for rotating the'twistinzt 13' head and for operating the continuous pulling means. 7

5. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 4, in which the driving means includes a switch operatively associated with one of the engaging grippers for starting and stopping the driving means depending upon the presence of a casing in the gripper engaging means.

6. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 4 including differential driving means between the rotatable table and the twisting head which varies therelative movement of the table and head.

'7. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 4, comprising adjustable means associated with the pulling means above the twisting head to change the length of the sausage link, speed changing mechanism associated with the 7 driving means to vary the speed of the pulling means in accordance with the change in the length of the sausage link, and other speed changing mechanism in connection with the driving means for rotating the twisting head at a dif ferent speed than the means for rotating the coiled and stuffed casing which is to be linked.

8. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1, a rotatable table associated with the twisting head for receiving a stufied and circularly coiled casing within the table and uncoiling the casing as the table is rotated, and

means in the frame associated with the table and the twisting head for rotating the twisting head in accordance with the rotation of the table.

9. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1, comprising latch means mounted on the frame and slidingl engagingthe holder as it is movedwith the casing by the engagement of the grippers, and means operatively associated with the grippers to disengage them from the. latch means and to move them in and out of the gripping position.

10. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1 in which the grippers are movable on the sides of the holder and have oppositely disposed parts to grip a sausage casing therebetween and movable apart to extend them for movement free from the casing and in a direction opposite to the movement of the casing, and stop means on the frame for engaging the holder in its movement when the grippers are free from the casing.

11. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1, including sleeveswhich are slidable on the holder, one of the sleeves having a longitudinal rib, a latch on the machine frame to engage the rib in the lower position of the holder, the said grippers being carried by the sleeves and engaging the casing, means associated with the grippers to stop the turning of the casing above the holder during such engagement, and the said latch sliding upon the rib and free from the end of the rib as thesleeves are reciprocated and the holder is moved upwardly.

12. In a sausage linking machine in accord-- ance with claim 1 in which the grippers include rollers at the top of the twisting head mounted.

sleeves, the means operatively associated with the grippers moving the sleeves oppositely to bring the grippers together andv to move them apart from around the sausage casing, and the grippers causing the holder to move with the casing and to stop its rotation above the casing when they are moved together to grip the casing.

14. In a sausage linking machine according to claim 13, including latch means associated with the grippers engaging one of the sleeves to delay the disengagement of the grippers from the sausage casing as the holder is moved upwardly from the twisting head.

15. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 13 in which the grippers are angular and are attached to each of the sleeves in overlapping relation with each other with the angular portions disposed oppositely so that a sausage casing may pass through freely between the angular portions whenseparated and will be squeezed tightly together to form a link in the sausage and thereby to stop the twisting movement of the .casing above the grippers when they are moved together.

16. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1, including adjustable means in the frame associated with the pulling means varying the height thereof above the twisting'head to correspondingly change the length of a link in the sausage, and speed changing mechanism associated with the driving and the pulling means for varying the speed of the pulling means in accordance with the change in length of the link by the adjustable means.

17. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 16 in which the pulling means comprises a pair of reversely disposed conical driving rollers, a driving belt in the driving means connecting the driving rollers, and a connection between the said adjustable means and the driving belt for varying the belt position upon the rollers in accordance with the length of the link caused by the variation of the adjusting means.

18. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 16, in which the pulling means includes mounting means associated therewith for raising and lowering the pulling means including a movable rack, a variable driving gear in the frame for the pulling means comprising oppositely disposed conical rollers and a belt ex-- tending around them, a connection with the mounting means for engaging the belt and moving it as the rack is raised and lowered and a crank with a pinion engaging the rack to raise and lower the mounting means and to change the speed of the driving means in accordance with the change in height of the pulling means.

19. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 1, the pulling means comprising a pair of belts for engaging opposite sides of a sausage casing, one of the belts being mounted to swing away from the other belt to admit a casing therebetween, and meshing gears for driving the belts, one gear pivoted to swing about an axis in the teeth of the other gear to maintain connection when one belt is swung away from the other.

20. In a sausage linking machine in accordancewith claim 19, the pulling means ccmprisa ing a casing head adjustably mounted in the frame above and spaced from the twisting head, the pulling head having a belt extending above the twisting head upwardly and over the pulling head, another belt havinga substantially straight run to extend parallel with the other belt above the twisting head, means mounting the second belt in the frame to swing outwardly from the first belt to include a sausage easing therebetween, and belt driving means including two meshing, gears for the two belts.

21. In a sausage linking machine according to claim 19, comprising a trough on the machine extending from the pulling head to receive a sausage casing from one of the belts and to direct it away from the machine.

22. In a sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 19, in which there is a spring tending to draw the two belts together and the movable belt has a projecting handle for swinging it away from the other belt so that sausage casings may be fed endwise between the belts in engaging them for continuous pulling movement between the belts.

23. In a sausage linking machine according to claim 20, including driving means for the twisting head and. driving head belts and controlling means operated by the belt mounted to swing for starting the said driving means when a casing of sufficient thickness is between the belts and for stopping the driving means when there is no casing between the belts or the portion between the belts is not of suificient thickness.

24. A sausage linking machine in accordance with claim 23,- in which the driving means for the twisting head and the driving head belts comprises an electric motor, and a motor control circuit including a switch operated by the belt mounted to swing, to start and stop the motor depending upon the thickness of a sausage casing between the belts.

ERIC W. ANDERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,195,043 Lidback Aug. 15, 1916 1,419,985 Reisfeld June 20, 1922 1,442,232 Neuberth 16, 1923 1,545,586 Kruse July 14, 1925 1,557,830 Gurley Oct. 20, 1925 1,701,713 Allen et a1 Feb. 12, 1929 1,906,372 Flynt May 2, 1933 2,229,590 Popp Jan. 21, 1941 2,282,666 McCue May 12, 1942 2,355,071 Hendrickson Aug. 8, 1944 

